Local Action Group Visit

The Cynnal y Cardi (CYC) Local Action Group (LAG) attended a county –wide tour of a selection of the on-going Cynnal y Cardi Projects on Wednesday, 5th June.

A group of approximately 20 delegates started the day by visiting Coed Ty-Llwyd in Llanfarian; the woodland site is managed by the social enterprise WiseWoods Wales and is also used by the Tir Coed Charity as a location for events and training opportunities. LAG members were able to have a chance to try out using a saw mill and log loader, and were also given a guided tour of the woodland by Ffion Farnell, Tir Coed’s Development Officer where they were able to see the access improvements, and conservation management techniques which have taken place. Tir Coed will soon be producing new publicity materials, and holding a woodland open day as part of their Community Outreach project funded by Cynnal y Cardi.

The group then visited Llanfarian Hall to be given a very informative presentation and display by Andy Ryan from Lampeter and District Beeekeeper’s Association as part of their Bees are Beautiful Project. The Bees are Beautiful project funded by CyC has enabled the group to purchase new equipment, produce information and publicity, attend local events, and provide support for people wanting to start beekeeping for the first time.

The group also visited Ceredigion Museum in Aberystwyth, where they were also given talks and presentations from three other CyC funded projects, which included

Storming the Walls – run by Ceredigion Museum which aims to improve community access to historical restoration and interpretation projects in Ceredigion.

Aberystwyth Market Hall – project to renovate and extend the Aberystwyth Market and also to provide improved marketing and public awareness about the businesses based in the market hall, and to support stallholders where possible with business support and mentoring.

Taste Trail Ceredigion – project aimed at promoting ‘Food Tourism’ in Ceredigion by linking food producers and suppliers and creating opportunities for increased marketing and publicity e.g. by production of various media types and use of social media.

Before returning home the group also had the opportunity to visit the Tudor Cottage in Llanon, which is undergoing conservation restoration with assistance from local volunteers (as part of Storming the Walls project), and also visit Pobl Aberarth, who have recently received funding from CyC for a new children’s playground in the village. All the projects visited commented that they were very grateful for the help and support provided by the Cynnal y Cardi project and staff and those on the visit felt that it would be very useful to feedback some of the information gathered to their local communities.